As a men’s grooming writer, the Met Gala is typically less of an event for me than it is for our style writers, and much less so than any women’s fashion journos out there.

But there are usually a couple guys whose grooming game is worth some press—and even then, it’s rarely on theme. This year, that theme was “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”, and I certainly didn’t expect to see any Francis of Assisi-esque head donuts. I did expect Jared Leto to go full Gucci Jesus (which he did), but it was Nick Jonas who ascended to grooming heavens this year. He looked the most Roman of them all, and I am promptly taking this photo to the barbershop for an immediate copycatting.

It’s just so clean and so perfectly blended, and the forehead fringe is so wonderfully askew. Jonas was cut by his longtime barber Ronnie McCoy III and groomed by the team at V76 for the event—specifically by Marissa Machado. Here’s what Machado did to give him the best-groomed, and most on-theme look of the night (sorry, Leto).

What to tell the barber:

“To get the Nick Jonas haircut, tell your barber you want an extremely tight fade with hard edges,” says Machado. “This look is supposed to feel edgy.” (No pun intended alongside those hard edges weighted at the crown.) “He or she should go guard-free on the bottom, from the neckline up to where the line starts to fade. Then go into a 1-guard while blending into the fade. The top is a scissor cut to create texture.”

What kind of hair does this look work for?

“This style works great on guys with thick, straight, or wavy hair. Nick has very thick hair that actually had to be cut into a bit for a choppy look.” (Your barber may need to texturize your hair too, to help it lay flat.)

What if a guy has a receding hairline?

“He can ask his barber to leave the side edges a bit longer and style with a more forward look for a bit of added coverage,” says Machado.

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How to style the look:

“To style this look, spray a hair tonic in wet hair to nourish the hair and prepare it for styling,” Machado says. (The tonic is like a conditioner that helps the hair absorb and magnify the effectiveness of the styler.)

“Next, blow dry hair to create some texture.” Pat it into place as it dries, so it isn’t too blown out.

“Finish with a clay pomade. Work the product deep into the root so it really takes hold to the hair, and then work into to desired shape.”

How often do you need to cut it or touch it up?

“This style needs up keep,” says Machado. The short faded sides need to stay short, and the top can’t get too bulky. “Get ready to see your barber every 10-12 days,” she warns. “However, it is easy to grow into a less severe fade if you aren't looking for the commitment.”

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